1. Technical Field
Embodiments relate to the field of data processing. Specifically, various embodiments relate to data processing for electronic medical records.
2. Related Art
Internet research reveals that other companies and organizations, beginning with Mayo Clinic in 1968, have attempted to design and build a computer-patient interview software application that would produce a chart ready patient medical history. To date, these attempts have fallen short of the quality required in order to be accepted across the medical community. There are at least five companies on the Internet that claim to have some form of a computer-patient interview application. The technology offered by each of these companies is described below.
PrimetimeMedical Software in Columbia, S.C. (www.medicalhistory.com) describes their computer-patient interview software as follows; “Branching logic enables patients to progress quickly through adjustable questionnaires from an extensive medical knowledgebase. Sophisticated technology enables this information to transfer to Electronic Medical Records (EMR's). Physician productivity increases because as much as sixty percent of the medical data necessary to complete the visit note can be provided by patients and automatically documented in medical terminology through the Internet, in exam rooms, or in waiting areas before the encounter.” PrimetimeMedical Software technology uses “adjustable questionnaires” similar to the questionnaires that the patient currently completes in the physician's waiting room. The physician must then interview the patient to obtain the additional forty percent of the medical data necessary to write or dictate the chart note for that visit.
Kryptiq (www.kryptiq.com) markets a computer-patient interview technology called, CareCatalyst™ Patient Portal. Their web site states that their Patient Portal allows patients to directly input patient information into their physician's Electronic Health Record (EHR) with customizable eForms over the web and to request prescription refills/renewals and appointments online.
RelayHealth (www.relayhealth.com) markets a product called a webvisit. This is an online consultation that is routed directly to a doctor or to his nurse and to which the doctor can then respond. The consultation adapts to the patient's responses; so if a patient answers a question a certain way, his next questions may reflect his previous answer. RelayHealth's webvisit technology is basically email interaction with the patient's physician.
MedicalNetSystems (www.medicalnetsystems.com/) website explains that their TurboHX collects the patient's history in two phases, the patient generated medical history (PGMH) and the physician's editing. “In the PGMH module, the patient develops his or her medical history. The health care provider reviews and edits the patient's history through TURBOHX's edit module.” MedicalNetSystems' product does not produce a chart ready comprehensive patient medical history that is professionally written in the vocabulary and syntax of a physician. Their TURBOHX product requires that the physician edit the patient's data entry and put it in chart ready content and format.
Thus, a system and method for automatically generating grammatically correct electronic medical records is needed.